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Tag Archives: Bob Baldwin

As recollections of Olympian accomplishments fade into our memories, the music of Rio via Grammy-nominated keyboardist Bob Baldwin’s (www.BobBaldwin.com) “The Brazilian-American Soundtrack” continues to thrive, casting a vibrant and soulful spell of urban-jazz bliss. The critically-acclaimed, 26-song double CD is riding a wave of critical acclaim and multi-format radio spins. Multi-instrumentalist Baldwin meticulously produced and arranged the collection of twenty of his original songs along with a selection of seminal Brazilian jazz classics and R&B hits. Clocking in at more than two hours of sophisticated music, Baldwin’s lavish opus debuted as one of Billboard’s Top 20 Contemporary Jazz Albums and is capable of having the staying power to soar through 2017.

The new disc reignites Baldwin’s affair with the seductive and sensual sounds of Brazil, which first served as his muse on his 2004 love letter, “Brazil Chill.” Three years in the making and recorded on two continents, “The Brazilian-American Soundtrack” is presented in two movements: Rio-Ipanema and New York. Baldwin employed an accomplished cast of Brazilian and Latin musicians – percussionists Café Da Silva, Rafael Pereira and Armando Marcal, and guitarist Torcuato Mariano – to construct the exotic rhythms on tunes such as the energizing first single, “Ipanema Fusion,” “Funky Rio,” “Teardrop” and “Oasis Of Love,” and when reimaging music from masters Antonio Carlos Jobim (“Corcovado”), Ivan Lins (“Anjo De Mim,” “The Island” and “Love Dance”) and Djavan (“Eu Te Devoro”). Baldwin uses first-call session players, vocalists and prominent soloists – Marion Meadows (sax), Gabriel Mark Hasselbach (trumpet) and Marlon McClain (guitar) to name a few – to craft soul-soaked, funk-flavored urban grooves including a pair of tunes (“Maurice” and “The Message”) that pay tribute to Maurice White, the influential creator and leader of Earth, Wind & Fire, who passed away as Baldwin was finishing the record.

On “The Brazilian-American Soundtrack,” melody-rich explorations abound anchored by Baldwin’s agile keyboard, Rhodes and piano artistry. The date, which became Baldwin’s ninth album to hit the Billboard Top 20, also benefits from his soothing tenor voice, bass, drums, percussion, Moog bass, Melodica, strings and clave contributions.

Beyond his 23-album recording career, Baldwin produces, hosts and nationally syndicates ”The NewUrbanJazz Lounge” radio show, leads a production and event planning company, designs and markets a line of men’s hats and has authored two informational books about the music industry.

After two years in the making, MelloWonder / Songs in the Key of Stevie will take flight on June 6, with a single dropping in April…stay tuned.

This is a continuing fundraiser to cover recording expenses of “MelloWonder”, a tribute to Stevie Wonder, due out this May/June. The disc features Chieli Minucci, U-Nam, Marion Meadows, Ryan Kilgore, Ragan Whiteside, Toni Redd, and more….

It is no secret that the digital music landscape combined with the social networks available to artists has prompted massive changes in the way people listen to and deliver musical content to their listeners. With that paradigm shift in full effect, top selling artists have gone the route of crowd-funding to raise funds for independent project.

For the first time, Baldwin has incorporated a string ensemble to his 21st and upcoming disc. Over $20,000.00 has been personally vested into the project to date.

If you want to buy the CD or just support Bob’s project go to this fundraiser site.

Staying On Top Of Your Career in the “Friggin’” Music Business is a music handbook that primarily helps prepare aspiring musicians to create a successful career in the music industry.

The handbook, created for high school and college level students, explains how aspiring musicians can create a successful career path and make a name in the industry while maintaining their integrity. It’s also a refresher course for veteran artists and a manager’s reference guide to improve their own work ethic.

Excerpt:
After 25 short years of being in the music game, only to watch the industry fall so quickly, gone are the label-funded recording studios with their 20-foot sound boards, coffee runners and all night physical tape edits. Over the years, I studied the business and observed those very few Execs sitting at the top of the pyramid scheme, who built their mansions on your shoulders and the sweat of your backbone, blinged you down to your Mercedes feet while pushing their subliminal messages up on the big video screen and at the end of the day, all you were left was a quarterly bill written in red negatives. Believe it or not, back in the day, it was worse! They used to buy your copyright for a dollar and fed their grandchildren off the heels of your ignorance. At least you got the 12 – carat gold necklace. –Bob Baldwin | Author/Musician